Monsters of the Mind
by MonsterMania
Summary: Prepare to amazed and slightly terrified at the creatures in store throughout this fun fact mythology series.
1. Chapter 1: Cerberus

This giant three-headed dog is the total terror package. Guarding the gates of the underworld, it allows no living soul to enter and no departed soul to leave; its name is synonymous with _fear_ and _the unknown_.

 **Creature Features**

 _Name:_ Comes from the Greek term " _ker berethrou_ " which means " _demon of the pit_."

 _Where:_ Entrances to Hades were believed to have been at the caves surrounding Heraclea, near the Black Sea and via the River Acheron in Greece.

 _Legendary Origin:_ Greek Mythology

 **Snakes on the Brain:**

A mane of viper heads seethes around Cerberus' neck. In moments of anger, this mass of snakes slithers and hisses before striking. In the most terrifying portrayals of Cerberus, its tail is a large serpent that rears up and attacks. In other versions, it has a dragon tail with a vicious spike.

 **Overall Features:**

 _Cerberus' ear-splitting howls echo endlessly through the caverns of Hades. Venom and acidic saliva dribble constantly from its drooling mouths- the foul blast of its breath alone is enough to knock over anyone. As the souls of the departed near the gates to receive their judgement , Cerberus strains at its chains, baring its hideous teeth. The jaws dribble venomous foam and foul stench pour from the mouths. The terrible teeth tear at pitiful victims condemned to punishment. Some descriptions of Cerberus claim that the clawed feet are used to rip and flay the bodies of people who were greedy and gluttonous during their lives._

 **Myth/Legend:**

 _Welcome to Hades!_

At the River Styx, the dead had to pay the hideous ferryman, Charon. Those who couldn't pay were doomed to wander the dismal shore of the Styx for eternity. On the far bank, the souls passed Cerberus, who made sure they did not flee back to the land of the living.


	2. Chapter 2: Roc

Imagine a bird of prey as big as a jetliner, with talons as big and sharp as swords. The ancient Persians did, and named it _Roc._ When it flew overhead, the skies darkened, and its huge wings flapped with such power they created winds like a hurricane.

 **Creature Features:**

 _Name:_ The word _Roc_ is Persian in origin

 _Body Parts:_ Body as large as a jetliner, claws like giant meat-hooks and teeth like T-rex's

 _Where?:_ It lived on the island of Madagascar off the coast of Southern Africa

 _Legendary Origin:_ The Roc is part of Middle Eastern mythology. It appears several times in The Thousand and One Nights story.

 **Air Attack:**

This ferocious bird dove down from the sky, grabbed animals as large as an elephant, and ripped them apart. It devoured the flesh or fed the victim to its young. The Roc had an unusual forked tongue like a snake's in its tooth-filled beak.

 **Overall Features:**

 _Besides terrorizing wild animals and people, the Roc guarded over a secret valley filled with jewels. Adventurers were always attempting to seek the valley and rob it of its jewels. If the Roc had spotted them, it would unleash a ferocious attack. The glowing white egg of the Roc was so huge it was mistaken for a domed building by Sinbad the Sailor, an adventurer from The Thousand and One Nights stories. The Chinese emperor Kublai Khan went in search of the Roc accompanied by the legendary explorer Marco Polo. They landed in Madagascar, off the eastern coast of Africa, but did not find the bird._

 **Myth/Legend:**

 _Big Bird_

The Roc had a real-life counterpart. The now-extinct elephant bird of Madagascar was one of the biggest birds in all of natural history. It looked like an ostrich, it stood over 9 and weighed almost 1,000 lbs. Its egg was 150 times the size of a chicken egg. The elephant bird differed from the Roc in that it couldn't fly and was a gentle giant. It was hunted into extinction by the 17th Century.


	3. Chapter 3: Chimaera

The beastly Chimaera had he body, head, and mane of a lion, a tail that transformed into a venomous serpent, and a vicious goat's head springing out of its back. This legendary evil creature terrorized the citizens of the Greek city of Lycia.

 **Creature Features:**

 _Name:_ Comes from the Greek word for _"she-goat."_ It is pronounced _"ki-mar-a."_

 _Body Parts:_ Head and body of a lion, a snake for a tail, and an additional head of a goat.

 _Where?:_ The Greek city of Lycia, which is in modern-day Turkey.

 _Legendary Origin:_ Homer's Iliad

 **Use your Heads:**

Each terrible head of the Chimaera acted independently of the others, attacking and fending off enemies from every direction at the same time. As if the three savage heads weren't enough to bring any foe to its knees, the Chimaera also spewed flames from its lion's mouth.

 **Overall Features:**

 _The Chimaera was born of Typhon, a winged monster with 100 heads and serpents for legs, and Echidna, who was half woman and half snake. When the Chimaera became full-grown, it killed many people and resisted every attempt on its life, until it was slain, this beast was thought to be invincible. The Chimaera was though to have represented the danger and power of storm clouds. Its roar was like thunder and the flames it spat out were like lightning. Any plant or animal that is an unusual combination, such as a cross between a quail and a chicken, is now called a "chimaera."_

 **Myth/Legend:**

 _A Beastly End_

It wasn't until a battle with the Greek hero Bellerophon that the Chimaera met its fate. Riding on the winged horse, Pegasus, Bellerophon was able to dodge all of the beast's attacks and even fly around its fiery breath. His spear was tipped with poisonous lead, which coursed through the Chimaera's body and killed the brute.

 **Bonus/ _Did you Know?:_**

One of the Chimaera's brothers was the three-headed hellhound, Cerberus.


	4. Chapter 4: Werewolf

The werewolf may look like a normal person by day- it may even look like someone you know. At night, however, it transforms into a horrible monster. Taking on wolf-like features, it prowls through the dark, searching for living victims or even robbing graves.

 **Creature Features:**

 _Name:_ Means _"wolf man"_ in old German.

 _Body Parts:_ Wolf's body covered with hair, long fangs, sharp claws, glowing eyes.

 _Where?:_ North America, Europe and Asia; wherever wolves are present

 _Legendary Origin:_ Ancient European folklore

 **Grave Situation:**

When werewolves are hungry and can't find enough victims in the streets, legend has it that they head to the local graveyard to dig up fresh bodies and feast on their remains. Werewolves are said to show signs of their beastly identity even while in human form. This can be anything from a strange birthmark or long fingernails to bushy eyebrows or hairy palms.

 **Overall Features:**

 _Legends tell of several ways to become a werewolf. Chief causes were: a person being cursed for evil acts; sleeping outside under a full moon; drinking water from a stream used by wolves; or receiving a bite or scratch from a werewolf. There were also ways to break the spell, according to legend. One was to wound the beast; it then would turn back into a human. To kill the werewolf, weapons blessed by the church were used. In more modern times, the legend said the only way to kill the creature was with silver bullet. In medieval Europe, many people believed in werewolves. Some people actually confessed to being the cursed beasts themselves. These people were most likely suffering from a mental disorder. Some legends tell of werewolves being killed, only to transform into vampires to continue their bloodthirsty rampages._

 **Myth/Legend:**

 _Beware the Beast_

As the light of a full moon touches the cursed man's body, he is wracked with pain as the dreadful transformation begins to take place. His jaw stretches, fingers transform into claws and his teeth grow into fearful fangs. All the while, hair sprouts from every pore on his body, and he is soon transformed into a fearsome beast.


End file.
